AUGUST 31 — Malaysians shall celebrate, God willing, 100 years of independence in 2057.
We have not as a nation accentuate this milestone, and this may sound far — reaching. But 31 years represent a mere one generation.
Those kids playing football accompanied by adoring parents may, by then, be the nation's leaders. In 2057, they shall assume the stature and role of parents, teachers, doctors, entrepreneurs or public servants. And the Malaysia they inherit in 2057 is, in reality, being shaped today.
Precisely this is the subject of my introspection, even my concerns. I have been in deep thoughts. Too much of our time is expended arguing over race, religion and politics, when time is not going to be merciful. The year 2057 will come, whether we are here to witness it or not.
It is because of this concern that I appeal to every Malaysian: let us make #Malaysia100 a shared national vision. Regardless of religion, ethnicity, political ideology or social background; whether we live in a village or in a city; whoever we are and whatever role we play, as long as we call ourselves Malaysians, #Malaysia100 belongs to us all. Each of us has the ability to shape Malaysia through the work we do and the choices we make. Over the next 31 years, let us make a collective promise to leave a legacy of a better Malaysia for the future generations.
We are already running short of time. Issues and differing views and opinion we encounter today should not be inherited by our children. Corruption and abuse of trust should not merely trigger utterances and petty complaints. They must never be tolerated and accepted as inevitable.
We must have the courage to resist them. If our institutions are weak, we must strengthen them. If systems are broken, repair them now! Where injustice exists, we must not look away. Because every problem we choose to ignore today may one day become a burden our children and grandchildren will have to endure. We cannot afford to fail in this responsibility.
And we should not expect Malaysia 100 to begin in Putrajaya. It must be nurtured in our soul and homes. It begins with the values and virtues we instil in our children. It begins with the way we respond to respective religions and cultural differences.
How best do we embark on this journey to 2057? Choosing our leaders must never be deemed as secondary. We must have the courage to stand for what is right, even when doing so will not be seamless. We received this baton from the generations before us. They were not perfect, but they brought this country far enough for us to savour the Malaysia we have today.
Now, the baton is in our hands. Whether we like it or not, one day we must pass it to the next generation so that they may continue the journey towards the finish line. We may run fast and we may travel far, but if the baton falls, we do not win. That baton represents our values. No matter how high our buildings rise or how advanced our technology becomes, these values must remain at the heart of the Malaysia we are building towards its 100th year of independence.
Compassion and integrity must grow alongside prosperity and development. Otherwise, Malaysia may appear impressive from the outside while slowly weakening from within, like a structure being devoured by termites, appearing strong until the day it suddenly collapses.
That is why the next 31 years must begin today. We must always begin with the end in mind. We must have the courage to visualise Malaysia 31 years from now. What will our schools look like? And, how about our schools? Those overwhelmed overwhelmed hospitals? Our roads? The environment? Our companies? Our public sector? Our justice system? Our economy? And beyond all of these, what kind of society and what kind of Malaysians do we want to see in 2057?
How can we be comfortable today if, 31 years from now, our children and grandchildren are still trying to resolve the conflicts we failed to settle? We do not need to wait until everything is perfect. With whatever capacity, influence and responsibility we have today, we must begin asking ourselves: Where are we now, and what do we want our families, organisations, companies and country to look like 31 years from today?
I want to make one thing very clear. #Malaysia100 does not belong to me. It must belong to all of us who love this country and care about the Malaysia our children and grandchildren will inherit. Every individual has a role in determining what Malaysia will become over the next 31 years. I imagine the day when the Jalur Gemilang flies proudly as Malaysia celebrates 100 years of independence. And I hope our children and grandchildren will be able to look back and say:
“Our grandparents did not leave us a perfect country. But they had the courage to try to make it better. They did not run away from the difficult issues. They did everything they could. The Malaysia we enjoy today exists because they refused to give up. They continued to hope, to pray and to work towards leaving behind something better for us.”
That, to me, is the true meaning of the #Malaysia100 legacy.
Legacy is not merely what we leave behind after we are gone. True legacy is what continues to live, long after we no longer do. That is what #Malaysia100 must become.
That is our destination. We may no longer be here in 2057. But the decisions we make today will still be there. The values we uphold today should be passed on. And the Malaysia we choose to build today will be the Malaysia they inherit tomorrow.
* This is the personal opinion of the writers or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of Malay Mail.
